Zaza’s Italian Steakhouse

I’ve driven by Zaza’s several times and have even been at neighboring businesses, but realize I’d never noticed it before. I’m glad I had the opportunity to change that the other night!
Ambience — in the bar area, of all places — was actually pretty nice. We sat right by the toasty warm fire. Speaking of toasty — the complimentary bread was nice and steamy!
I had the chicken polenta dish ($ 17) and, like a schmuck who doesn’t appropriately pair my wines with my proteins, a glass of Mènajátrois (mixed red, $ 7). The pour was generous.
The chicken (2 breasts) was delicious: very tender and perfectly cooked, saucy, and seasoned well. It was topped with big chunks of fresh mushrooms. The side of spinach was generous and lightly steamed. I’d never had polenta before, and it was sadly the most «forgettable» part of the dish… I think just due to the fact that the portion of it was literally dwarfed by the chicken.
My +1 had a pasta dish and he requested a different pasta than was listed on the menu, plus veggies that were also not listed. He was accommodated with a smile, which I thought was very nice.
Our young male server was personable and attentive without being overbearing. The only thing I thought was a bit unprofessional was the PDA between him and a female hostess — bear hugs and neck nuzzling. (Ahh, young love!) I felt a bit uncomfortable with the scene, but luckily they didn’t carry on too much.
The server gave us complimentary cannoli at the end of the evening, which I guess makes up for it. :)
«Generous» actually seemed to be the norm: pours, entrée sizes, and that nice cannoli. Color me impressed!
Zaza’s ended up being better than «JUST another Italian place,» and I’d definitely head back for another meal.

Wanting to extend the holiday season a bit longer, six of us dined at Zaza’s the day after Christmas. We had the calamari, martinis, and manhattans to start. We were happy with both. Our entrees of whitefish, lamb chops, Italian sausage (homemade) and seafood pasta were served hot and the portions were quite large. Victor, our waiter, is one of the reasons we enjoy dining at Zaza’s. He is like the Energizer Bunny and always has a smile on his face. The tiramisu is a must for dessert.

Great food as usual. Waitstaff is helpful attentive and very accommodating. They have a good wine selection. One of our favorite places. We go here for group dinners, lunch and just a night out.

Love, love, love ZaZa’s!!! Great food and great service! The salsa that is served with the bread is amazing!

I came here with a friend on Oct 1^st, he’d been here several times and suggested I try it. The food was good, especially our grilled calamari app. I think our server was named Carlos, he was very helpful and attentive as well, an asset to the restaurant. I live in the city, but would come back again in a heartbeat!

One word for lunch… Grilled steak salad! Yum. We came for dinner few times and have ordered the mussels in marinara sauce, pasta dishes, & steak. Everything is always delicious!

I was glad that I visited Zaza’s after it was highly recommended by friends and the hotel I was staying at in Addison. The city is lucky to have them. And Zaza’s is lucky to have Kim as a server. She suggested a fantastic Cabernet since they didn’t serve zinfandel by the glass. I had the filet mignon which was perfectly cooked medium and Kim had the chef butterfly it so that it cooked evenly. The filet came with this absolutely dreamy, buttery, cheesy, soft but crunchy potato wedge. So yum. Besides being treated like we were dinner guests at our family’s home, Zaza’s is clean and neat as well as dark and quite romantic. Truly the whole package!

Mixed experience here.
Service from Victor (who came recommended on other reviews) was rushed and impersonal.
Food also mixed– see my posted pics. Caprese salad and pasta special were mediocre to awful. Canned crab meat as a sauce base? Yuck! Shrimp mixed in a pasta dish with tails still on? Just wrong. And $ 24!
The pasta abruzzese was actually quite good.
Overall, an expensive, forgettable meal. I’ve had 5-​star food and service at the Clarendon Hills location of ZaZa’s.

My «special» for the night was 3 cheese Ravioli with spinach. The cheese flavoring tasted like Velveeta more than anything. Wasn’t good. Didn’t eat much of the meal. Otters on our party complained of the quality of the food also. Service was ok. However, we had a large group of 9 and they gave us one check! How difficult would it have been to have split it up for us?
And the place was so noisy we couldn’t have a decent conversation. We won’t be back.

Stopped here for a business dinner. Portions are large… Food was decent, but not to die for.
I had the lamb — very tender, but a bit bland. The apps were good. We split the meatballs and Italian sausage — plenty for four people.
We thought the limoncello for the table was being compted based on a food delay and a comment from our waitress… Not the case… That’s a bit misleading and leaves a not so
Pleasant taste.

I was very pleased with Zazas Italian steakhouse in Addison. My husband and I stopped by on the spur of the moment and did not know really what to expect. The food was very good. We both ordered the whitefish and it was excellent! The service was very good. We would definitely go there again.

In terms of décor and ambience, ZaZa’s leans towards the classier side in this area in a non pretentious way. when I’m in the mood for this and don’t feel like venturing too far away, I come here.
The warm and inviting bar is wrapped with a copper mosaic tile complimenting the black granite bar top. There is also a fireplace :) The deep red walls showcase Michelangelo’s David. The lighting sets a romantic tone and it just feels ‘swanky’…There’s also a few t.v.‘s behind the bar. It’s cozy and has a sultry vibe. Service is friendly and welcoming here. Some servers have been here a long time and they treat you like they know you…(well they should know me cause I’ve been here more times than I can remember). I’ve been here with dates and friends and we enjoy the selection of potent cocktails.
For Italian fare which happens to include great steaks this place puts out some terrific dishes. For app’s — the mussels in tomato sauce are always tasty & if the mussels are not good that night they will tell you if you ask (which I usually do). Have you ever ordered mussels only to find half the shells are empty? Not cool and just get’s my Italian blood pumpin. The carpaccio with wild mushrooms and avocado is always a must order for me here & the baked goat cheese in tomato sauce while not a complicated dish, satisfies your need for some warm, comforting cheese. These starters alone could complete my meal & have.
For entrees the pan roasted chicken with roasted artichoke hearts in a tomato sauce with melted mozzarella and side of linguini is delicious. I especially LOVE the artichokes (mmmmm) & reasonably priced compared to some of their other entrees or when you don’t feel like spending $ 30 on a New York strip. But when you do, this is just as good as some of steaks you’ll find at upscale steak houses and it comes with potatoes and a veggie. no this not a la carte. Entrees are decent portions. I don’t usually order the pasta dishes only because I think spending over $ 12 on pasta here is a crime especially when its very simply prepared. Pasta is cheap and so are tomatoes. I opt for either steak, poultry or seafood specials. Pizza’s are pretty tasty too.
They also have a small outdoor patio. Just come and hang out at the bar, enjoy the ambience or savor an above average meal. They’ll treat you like a paisano!!! Salute!

I love this place I usually go during lunch and the wait staff is awesome and the food is yummy I’ve never had a bad experience here

This place has a nice ambiance for a romantic date for two, or for a group. But it is very dark in here.
The food was excellent. But it is not cheap and mostly al la carte. A few meals come with side dishes, but not many.
They are fast and you don’t wait on food for long. Bread is at every table, along with oil, salt, pepper, and cheese to dress your bread however you like.
Parking can be tricky. I got lucky and found a spot right in front. Plan on have to walk a bit if it is a busy night. By a bit I mean from the back of the building to the front.
I had an allergic reaction to something in my food. I don’t know what because I have never experienced food allergy before. It could have been a blessing in disguise and I don’t hold the restaurant responsible for this. However I have never experienced anything like it before and for that reason I probably can’t eat here again.

Italian isn’t usually my go-​to food but something about Zaza’s… the music, the ambience, the smells, the service– it all just adds… something. We often sit in the bar when we go which is nice (though there is dining room seating); therefore, we usually get the same waiter! He’s great, so nice, so knowledgeable of the menu and wines, and you’d think you were one of his family coming for dinner the way he happily greets you.
The food has always been great, so far, and I’ve ordered various dishes. Having just eaten there yet again, whatever I ate was so good that I’m glad I have leftovers. Some sort of gnocchi and shrimp in a garlic cream sauce and what may’ve been calamari. Definitely recommend it. The desserts are good, my little sister is very fond of the crème brûlée. Of course you can get some of your typical fettuccini alfredo, but if you consider that a meal you might as well go to Awful Garden– I mean Olive Garden… though Zaza’s F.A. is still no doubt better.
This is located right across from Marcus Theatre, the parking lot could be better, it does have a patio if you don’t mind being in close proximity to traffic, but all in all I like Zaza’s quite a lot. Between the food and the waiters we’ve had, I’ll keep going back again and again.

Unilocal puts this restaurant at $$…Actually, I would say it is $$$. There are a couple of items at $ 17, a few at $ 23, more at $ 26 and then at $ 33.
We had some common fare… veal parm, roasted chicken and seafood marinara. The veal wasn’t the best I have ever had, I actually get very good veal parm right here in Iowa, so I was a little let down. My wife liked here seafood, as it had lobster in it. But the roasted chicken was REALLY GOOD. My daughter ordered it, as was so pleased. She was kind enough to give me a sample… really good stuff!
The service is excellent at this place. My glass was never empty, and our waitress was very kind. We ended up talking with her for a few minutes… which was a welcome gesture.
I do recommend this place, but 3 ½ stars instead of 4, due to the red sauce being somewhat bland… needed a little more herbs and zest.

Another really great lunch today at Zaza’s. What a great local independent place with excellent food and great ambiance.
Victor, the server is just outstanding and has a wit and charm that keep me coming back. Even if I’ve not been in for months, he remembers the exact ice tea I drink and always brings it over.
Typically, I’ll eat the sausage ala Zaza — which is their homemade Italian sausage, served with spinach, mushrooms, artichokes and balsamic drizzle. Its an appetizer but more than enough for lunch. Today, I had the chicken limone and it was outstanding.

Zaza is my favorite local place to eat. The atmosphere is great. We typically eat in the bar area. Nice warm décor, bar is beautiful with easy to see TV ‘s. The fire place is perfect for our winter nights. The patio is very nice for the spring and summer.
Our personal server is victor. He is the best. He knows exactly what we want. He treats us like family. Always makes us leave with a smile on our faces.
Their menu isn’t complicating and it flows well. I had one of the best meals ever here! I have never had a subpar meal here. Chef is willing to take an entrée on the menu and add a personal twist to it.
If you are in the area and are looking for a great place to eat, make it Zaza’s. There are a several choices in the area and I visit them as well, but ZAZA is the top!

Always have a nice time here. Wasn’t always the case. When they first opened they had an annoying and pretentious valet service and the clientele seemed like Soprano wannabes. I’d come in and they’d try to seat me out of the way. Guess they were going for a certain flavor that I didn’t’ have and ultimately didn’t fly because the valet is long gone and so is the pretentious edge. So if you too experienced that and are amazed they’re still open, give it another try.
Service is always good and for dining I prefer the bar (has fireplace) and patio (ditto) to the dining room. Dining room is nice… it’s just preference. Service is always good. I especially love the fish here. I’ve never been disappointed or been with someone who is disappointed with their meal. All worth trying. Worth noting is the spinach here. VERY good… smoky flavor.
Last time I was here was with a 13 year old girl. They offered to make a lunch portion of the meal for her. Nice.

I just had the special salad of the day.
Salad with Filet Mignon meat (cooked to your preference).very delicious and portions are big. :) YUM